Patch 5.4 Trailer, Predictions, and Hints

**Rosenstrauch** · 12-04-2020 07:35 PM

The Preliminary patch notes for 5.4 are out, and with them we know the names of the individual encounters in Eden's Promise.

Eden's Promise spoilers/thoughts, natch:

The first is Umbra, which makes sense given who the fight is against: The Cloud of Darkness. Though why we're fighting her is still a mystery at the moment.

The second is Litany. The core meaning of the word seems to be "a recital", suggesting that the fight is against a historical figure. It's against the big black wolf, of course—and given the location we've seen for that fight, it's pretty on the nose for a name.

But the third is where it gets weird. "Anamorphosis"—a distorted projection or drawing which appears normal when viewed from a particular point. The word means "Transformation" in its original Greek form, and is made of the root words "Ana" and "Morphosis" mean "Back, Again" and "A Shaping" respectively. I think this might be our Gaia/Mystery Antagonist fight.

EDIT 02: A shower thought. The primals we've faced in Eden, despite our intent to summon the originals, are all wildly warped from their original depictions. They're only really a match for the originals if viewed through a particular lens or from a particular point. I wonder if this fight might involve the Eden primals being reused in some capacity, as the trailer hinted that they would be returning in some capacity.

And the fourth is Eternity. Back when I posted my speculation on this, I believed Gaia and her "Fairy" would make up both the final encounters. I wonder if that might be true, and whatever we fight in "Eternity" is akin to Ultimecia's final form: Two alien women conjoined, their body "wearing"/devouring the universe.

Sad to say, there doesn't seem to be any room for Griever now. Aside from him and the final boss having a form resembling Ultimecia, I wasn't expect any further FF8 references. But it seems like there might not be any at all.

EDIT: Further thoughts, this time from lyrics!
Shadowbringers: "At this, the world's end, do we cast off tomorrow."
Return to Oblivion: "A voice from the past screaming 'there is no end'. A slave to my fate, ever doomed to repeat this (again and again and again)."
To the Edge: "Yes, time circles endlessly, the hands of fate train ahead (pointing to the edge)."

And two definitions of Eternity: "infinite or unending time." "a state to which time has no application; timelessness."

The latter definition definitely leans on the idea of "Time Compression"—all of time compressed to a single point. And it notably goes in the opposite direction of Gaia's character development: She goes from being lost in her own introverted misery to wanting to live to see "what tomorrow may bring". But in compressed time, only the here and now can exist. This does, at the very least, lend credence to the villain's modus operandi being the same as Ultimecia's.

The first definition, meanwhile, leans more on the emphasis of the conflict between Hydaelyn and Zodiark's followers being both endless, and invariably fatal, to both parties. I, um, seriously hope Gaia survives this. I actually like her character quite a bit, and find her friendship with Ryne to be sweet.

As an aside, I'm a bit surprised it took me this long to get the whole "time motif" Shadowbringers has had. It's pretty much everywhere, isn't it?

**Kesey** · 12-04-2020 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Veloran

Of course, it's also possible Fandaniel is simply making his entire personality up just to get Zenos to play along, not that he seems all that enthused about it.

This is crux of their relationship. Fandaniel is setting up a betrayal and Zenos either knows and doesn't care or believes he will gain the upper hand if it the betrayal happens. Either way, Zenos will get what he wants which is a WOL confrontation.

I believe Zenos has the upper hand, as Shadowbringers didn't show the fight where he expelled Elidibus from his old body. It seemed strange at the time to keep this villain alive and not show his growing power when he takes back his body, but if it will affect a future plot point then it's the only reason that makes sense to exclude it.

**LuckyHitman** · 12-05-2020 08:31 AM

BLU Story Spoilers:

Minor thing, but it looks like the next BLU quest villain is Famed Mimic Gogo from FFV/FFVI. Definitely follows the trend with Azulmagia/Siegfried having come before. It's at 1:55 in the trailer.

**RyuDragnier** · 12-05-2020 10:11 AM

Since somebody theorized it on reddit, I'm going to concur with his guess on certain things dealing with the Cloud of Darkness.

There's a possibility that the reason the Cloud of Darkness is one of the (if not the) most powerful voidsent is because she's a shard of Azem. It would be a fitting thing if that was the case, and also show what could very well have been a similar fate for us had we become a Lightwarden. Again, it's a guess, but would make for some interesting complications. Not to mention it'd be possible to have another shard of ourselves while setting things up for indeed the greatest battle that could happen in existence against Zenos (which we know he wants).

**FrightfulNight** · 12-05-2020 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by RyuDragnier

Since somebody theorized it on reddit, I'm going to concur with his guess on certain things dealing with the Cloud of Darkness.

There's a possibility that the reason the Cloud of Darkness is one of the (if not the) most powerful voidsent is because she's a shard of Azem. It would be a fitting thing if that was the case, and also show what could very well have been a similar fate for us had we become a Lightwarden. Again, it's a guess, but would make for some interesting complications. Not to mention it'd be possible to have another shard of ourselves while setting things up for indeed the greatest battle that could happen in existence against Zenos (which we know he wants).

I could add on this further, perhaps with the Void quests as they are being called in 5.4 we could see another shard reunite with the WoL, perhaps, at some point in 6.0 this will trigger memories of our past life as Azem, and we see why they sided with neither Zodiark's faction, nor Hydalyn's, leading further to 6.0 being supposedly the conclusion for both their arcs.

**RyuDragnier** · 12-05-2020 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by FrightfulNight

I could add on this further, perhaps with the Void quests as they are being called in 5.4 we could see another shard reunite with the WoL, perhaps, at some point in 6.0 this will trigger memories of our past life as Azem, and we see why they sided with neither Zodiark's faction, nor Hydalyn's, leading further to 6.0 being supposedly the conclusion for both their arcs.

I'm fully expecting a final battle for 6.3 (at the latest) where we're full Unsundered mode and fight the final boss of the expansion like that...just to get a time skip (months, years?) immediately afterwards where we exit wherever the fight was depowered and having lost (probably willingly) the shards we had been using (process took a while though). Would allow for a new political foe or power to come into play and also explain why we don't just easily end whatever threat it is, we just gave up the power and don't have it anymore, so we have to do things the old fashioned way again.

**Kesey** · 12-05-2020 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by RyuDragnier

I'm fully expecting a final battle for 6.3 (at the latest) where we're full Unsundered mode and fight the final boss of the expansion like that...just to get a time skip (months, years?) immediately afterwards where we exit wherever the fight was depowered and having lost (probably willingly) the shards we had been using (process took a while though). Would allow for a new political foe or power to come into play and also explain why we don't just easily end whatever threat it is, we just gave up the power and don't have it anymore, so we have to do things the old fashioned way again.

I expect this not to happen. As Hydaelyn would want to have all the shards resplit to prevent reviving Zodiark (after his 2nd defeat). This theory only works if Zodiark can never be summoned again, but we all know primals can always be resummoned...

**Vyrerus** · 12-05-2020 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by Cilia

Zenos only really gets going when his battle lust completely overtakes his apathy. What little we've seen of Fandaniel thus far suggests he's like that pretty much all the time.

That may change moving forward, but as it stands now I can't agree the two are different shard reincarnations of Convocation Fandaniel.

I think Fandaniel will be the opposite. He's crazy outside of battle, but will be dead serious in battle. I was also under the impression that he was going to be the, "exception" that Emet-selch implied in inbetween cutscenes dialogue where he said that rarely non-convocation shards are raised and given the office.

As far as the first two raid fights go, I'm fairly certain that they are going to be memory summons like the primals, except specfically for darkness elemental/aligned creatures to realign the entirety of the Empty. First Cloud of Darkness, and our WoLs are going to remember her based on the minion lol. Then the Shadowkeeper, based on mural or maybe a book picture. Once the Empty has moved back towards neutrality between Light and Dark, this allows Darkness to take the reigns of Gaia's mind and thus the transformations and real bosses come forth.

**myahele** · 12-06-2020 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by Vyrerus

I think Fandaniel will be the opposite. He's crazy outside of battle, but will be dead serious in battle. I was also under the impression that he was going to be the, "exception" that Emet-selch implied in inbetween cutscenes dialogue where he said that rarely non-convocation shards are raised and given the office.

I haven't thought of that. It might explain why his glyph is inverted

**Tracewood** · 12-06-2020 05:25 AM

Originally Posted by LuckyHitman

BLU Story Spoilers:

Minor thing, but it looks like the next BLU quest villain is Famed Mimic Gogo from FFV/FFVI. Definitely follows the trend with Azulmagia/Siegfried having come before. It's at 1:55 in the trailer.

At least they're keeping up BLU content, thought it be stuck at 60 until 6.1. So I guess 6.1 or 6.2 we'll see it to 80. Which is fine it helps me clear Savage content that I was never able to do when patch is current. I'd be floored if they announce BLU being a "normal job" with limitations come 6.0, but it is too soon.

Thread: Patch 5.4 Trailer, Predictions, and Hints

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